Industry
Compliance and risk management don’t sound very attractive but they are crucial to having a sound business and are drivers to achieving business excellence – we call it Future-Proofing. Undertaking an annual legal health check of your company is one of the best decisions you will make for it’s reputation, growth and for your sanity. […]
As the owner of an SME, it’s more important than ever in this rapidly-changing business environment to get flexible working schemes right. Compared to ten, or even five years ago, employees are now looking for more of a balance between their personal and work lives. This can be a great thing as flexible working arrangements […]
There’s a school of thought in business that suggests you should stick to what you know. According to one article, paying heed to this tenet will increase your chances of success as you take benefit from the insight, networks, and ‘rules of thumb’ you’ve spent years developing. You’re more likely to navigate through all the […]
After a year in which the world economy experienced heightened volatility and global growth slowed, there has been a positive shift in opportunities ahead for SME exporters. Trade is still growing, albeit at a slower pace than before the global financial crisis (GFC). After relatively modest growth of 2.6 per cent last year, Efic expects […]
“You can never have too much of a good thing” is a phrase that most, if not all of us, will have heard before. Whether or not this is true is a matter of opinion, but if you’re in business and you’re onto that good thing, then you surely stick with it. After an extended […]
The transparency brought by the internet has changed the way we do business. Business owners no longer size themselves against the competitor on the adjacent street because, irrespective of locality, all stand side-by-side in a list of online search results; each just a click away from the other. But while this ultra-competitive, virtual environment has […]
Just when the Australian dollar is starting to bounce back against the US dollar after dipping last year, the local market is now being hit by the fluctuations in the Chinese economy. This has knock-on effects for Australian businesses. As Australia’s largest trading partner, China’s economic troubles is putting some pressure on the insolvency landscape, […]
Any traveller will appreciate what ‘culture shock’ feels like; that moment when we first set foot in an unfamiliar civilisation and realisation suddenly strikes: Our understanding of social cues, customs, behaviour, and communication have suddenly become defunct. These are our social navigation tools – tools we take for granted – until they’re no longer there […]
Small business failure rates are alarming – or so we are told. Along every avenue of research an enthusiastic entrepreneur will take, their spark, at some point, will be doused by bold assertions: “8 Out of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within the first 18 months” (www.forbes.com). For anyone in the throes of a […]
Flexibility. To many business owners this may sound like a swear word. The prospect of having employees who are not working in the office or not available during work hours on certain days could appear to be more of a hindrance than a help. But if entrepreneurs and small business owners want to attract and […]
Recognition, reward and opportunity; these are the three key staples in the diet of an engaged and motivated employee. Yet – delivering the right balance of these ‘dietary requirements’ can be one of the biggest challenges businesses face. When they don’t get it right, a disengaged workforce and low morale ensues. With 20 years’ experience […]
So your business has expanded and you are considering employing your first member of staff. However, you are not sure whether to employee a full time, contract or even a casual worker. Before you go ahead start recruiting, here are some important legal issues to consider when hiring staff: Contractor vs Employee In law, there […]
It’s not always what you do but the way you do things in business that secures your place in the market and a loyal customer base. The mistaken belief that you have to reinvent the wheel will only serve to make your experience more overwhelming and limit your options. “They think they have to come […]
If you’ve ever requested an Uber ride to be later picked up by a 4×4, fuel guzzling behemoth of a vehicle, you’ll understand where this idea came from. Chris King, an avid user of Uber services, realised that there were two potential inhibitors to the flow of new drivers to the platform. While noticing that a […]
Of all the negative influences that can hamper a business from realising its full potential from its employees, ‘otherness’ is perhaps the most subtle – and, in many ways, the most insidious – of all. It’s so difficult for organisations to grapple with, because it is so difficult to pin down in the first instance. […]
Created to disrupt the stereotypes of the investment industry, the Fintech app, Acorns, has been downloaded by over two million users since it launched in the US in July 2014. Now, after announcing its availability on Australian smartphones, a similar surge in sign-ups is expected from the Australian market – the first country to receive […]
It’s not uncommon these days to have a wide age gap between your employees. Many businesses these days have an employee age range which spans across three generations – the Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y (or the Millennials). While each generation brings a distinct set of values, insights and expertise to the workplace, […]
Any entrepreneur looking to break ground in the online marketplace sector will be familiar with this conundrum: you need to raise capital to launch the business, but without the business and proof of concept, you can’t get the capital. Much like the centuries old argument: which came first, the chicken or the egg? ‘Raising capital […]
We work hard and we strive for promotion; we get promoted and receive financial reward. Do we then pause in content and admire the view before considering our direction? Not likely. Most career-minded individuals will tilt their heads back and start looking up at the next rung of the ladder. After all, we are conditioned […]
The fastest growth rate in Australia for start ups is the online business. This range from selling goods such as make up or skin care, to children’s clothing and toys. However, before you rush ahead and set up your business online, there are a few legal issues that you need to be aware of when […]
